Like the rest of the fishermen of Merida Village, Jerome dragged his small fishing boat up the beach, further than usual, and tied it firmly to a coconut tree. Menacing clouds were approaching from the southeast, and everyone knew it was wise to take precaution. Weather reports indicated a typhoon was headed towards the Philippines, but that was nothing unusual for those who call the island of Leyte their home. Most likely, there'd be no fishing that night or the next day. The rising winds were a scant harbinger of what lurked behind the darkening clouds on the horizon.